This invention relates to an article for a fireworks or pyrotechnic display and in particular to an article for producing a shower of flaming beads.
Among the various types of prior art fireworks producing a visual display is a device in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 1,818,474 issued to T. G. Hitt on Aug. 11, 1931. The Hitt patent teaches adhering aluminum particles to a sheet of paper with a plastic paste, whereupon the paper is folded upon itself so as to enclose on both sides the adhered aluminum particles, forming a laminated sheet. Igniting the laminated material produces a dispersal of burning aluminum sparks.
Fabrication of a fireworks device in accordance with the Hitt patent requires several fabricating steps including forming the sheet of material, mixing the aluminum particles and the paste and particle mix on the material, and folding the material to form the laminate. Since each step necessarily adds to the cost of the finished product, the cost of the finished fireworks device can be greater than that desired, particularly with the cost of aluminum particles. Cost is particularly important in fireworks because the fireworks are single-use items and the customer may completely refrain from purchase of the fireworks if the cost is not sufficiently low for the amount of excitement generated by the device.
The prior art also includes U.S. Pat. No. 910,755 issued to F. J. Welter on Jan. 28, 1909 which teaches spark emitting candles formed by a composition of metallic powder and salts rich in oxygen. The composition is formed in a pasty condition into pencils or applied to a support. The materials suggested by the patent typically result in an undesirably high cost for each spark producing article.